DPT Curriculum

The curriculum is an 8 semester plan of study which incorporates 32 weeks of full time clinical internship. Students enter the program after completing a bachelor’s degree. The students are awarded the DPT degree after completing 113 credit hours of graduate course work.

The curriculum has been established along three basic educational principles that are instilled in the philosophy and mission of the program. First, it is necessary that a strong basic science background in the biological, kinesiological and behavioral sciences be established as the foundation upon which the curriculum is developed. Secondly, incorporation of principles underlying logical reasoning and the scientific method shall be woven throughout all aspects of the curriculum. These principles shall be explicitly stated in the design and content of each course; they shall be implicitly stated in the faculty’s behavior as role models through their incorporation of their research and clinical practice experiences into the classroom setting. Third, students will recognize that the practice of physical therapy is empowered by the collaborative efforts of the team, ensuring a partnership of people working towards a common goal. This principle is instilled in the students throughout the content of the curriculum and is exemplified by the faculty’s collaborative teaching and research efforts.